The Golden Bird

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1932

Production year

1932

Premiere

17 June 1932

Runtime

82 min

Category

film

Genre

melodrama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Zlaté ptáče

Czech title

Zlaté ptáče

English title

The Golden Bird

Synopsis

Petr has remained alone with his daughter Hanička after the death of his wife. He is employed in the iron works and a wicked and harsh neighbour looks after Hanička. The unhappy child notices the dancer Ella. They make friends with one another and Ella often comes to visit Hanička. One day Petr returns from work earlier than usual, for he was just laid off. He catches Ella at his home and he learns from her of his daughter's joyless life. However, he is too preoccupied with his own troubles and he sends Ella away. He looks for work in vain and in the evenings he sits in the bar where Ella dances and sings a song about a little golden bird. During one performance Ella is assaulted by her former boyfriend. Petr is the only one to defend her. After the scandal, however, she is dismissed from her work. Ella must leave and she goes to say goodbye. In the apartment she finds Petr at the bedside of the gravely ill little girl. Ella remains and stays the entire night awake at Hanička's side with Petr. The exhausted Petr falls asleep. He dreams that his child has died. He is wrested from the tortuous dream by the doctor who informs hims that Hanička is recovering. His happiness is capped by the re-opened ironworks. Petr once again has work and Ella becomes Hanička's new mother.

Cast

Otomar Korbelář

dělník Petr

Dagmar Kmínková

Hanička, Petrova dceruška

Ela Šárková

tanečnice Ella

Vladimír Majer

Ellin bývalý milenec

Josef Novák

majitel zábavního podniku Zlatá klec

E. F. Burian

jazzový zpěvák

Blanka Waleská

host v baru

Otto Rádl

host v baru

Bohdan Lachman

host v baru

Václav Menger

host v baru

Emil Dlesk

dělník

Crew and creators

Screenstory

Josef Karel Šlejhar

Director of Photography

Jan Stallich

Production Designer

Štěpán Kopecký

Film Editor

Antonín Zelenka

Sound Designer

Josef Zora

Music

Music Composed by

E. F. Burian

Songs

Kdyby ses byl nenarodil

Song Composer E. F. Burian
Writer of Lyrics Otto Rádl
Singer E. F. BurianEla Šárková

Má panna je v Panama sama

Song Composer E. F. Burian
Writer of Lyrics Josef Gruss
Singer E. F. Burian

Můj zlatý ptáčku, mám tě rád

Song Composer E. F. Burian
Writer of Lyrics Walter Lustig
Singer Otomar Korbelář

Práce rukou dvou

Song Composer E. F. Burian
Writer of Lyrics E. F. Burian
Singer E. F. Burian

Píseň kol

Song Composer E. F. Burian
Writer of Lyrics E. F. Burian
Singer E. F. Burian

Production info

Original Title

Zlaté ptáče

Czech Title

Zlaté ptáče

English Title

The Golden Bird

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

melodrama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1932

Production Year

1932

Production specifications

date of censorship 05/1932

Premiere

premiere 17 June 1932 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino Hvězda /3 týdny/, Praha)

Production

Primus

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Distribution

Primus

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

82 min

Original length in metres

2 345 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,19

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

Tobis – Klang

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech